Traffic signal for motor vehicles



July 17, 1928.

- c. B. FERRO TRAFFIC SIGNAL Fonjron VEHICLES 4Filed Nqv. 6, 1924 line of .movements of the vehicle.

Patented July 17, 1928.` y, A i y CLAUDE B. FERRO, or SAN BEaNARDINo, CALIFORNIA. y

UNITED STATES lTRAFFIC SIGNAL Fon MoToRvnHICLS.

p l Application mei November s, liv/zi'.y serial No. 748,108. Y n

My invention is .a traiiic ysignal of the semaphore type for motor vehicles. The semaphore arm is pivotally attached'tof'a fixed part of the vehicle, kpreferably lthe windshield, and has a handle extending into vthe vehicleto a convenient position to be grasped by the driver. By swinging the handle downwardly the semaphore may be positioned atan angle of substantially 15" upward to give a right turnv signal, or eX- tended horizontally to give a left turn sig,- nal, and also shifted to pointk downwardly at about givinga stop signal.

f In the specific construction I seourefa Vlixed disc by a bolt throughthecenter to a part of the vehiclewith the `face of the disc in a vertical position and transverse'to the An insulated plate faces on thev disc.` A second metal disc is rotatably mounted on the 'bolt and has the handle on the inside ofthe vehiclev and the semaphore arm with `a lamp and colored glass indicator on the outside. Electrical makefand break springs form a Contact between the fixed metal plate, and the rotatingl plate. An voutside 'disck has springs-.which press the'two metal plates toward each other. Thus when the handle is `swung into the three positions abovevn'i'en- ,tioned, an electrical contact is made at each lposition and causesthe light to glow.

Myinvention will be more clearly understood from the accompanying specification and drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is `a rear view of the semaphore signal partly in section. f

Fig. 2 is a horizontal cross section on the line 2-2 of Fig.y 1 showing diagrammatical-- ly the electric circuit. I

p -Fig. 3 is a detail showing the spring supporting plate and springs to press the conducting 'plates together.

Fig. 4 is a section showing a spring f pressed ball and socket to hold thesemaphore in its several positions.y l

Fig. 5 isa diagrammatic View illustrating thesemaphore in its various positions. 1 Figure 6 -is a detail .section -through the make and break electrical contacts on the Xed and oscillating discs.

In the drawings the windshield frameis:

indicated by 1, holding the windshield 2.v A clamp 3 having an arnifi engages over the windshield frame. An aperture 5 through the clamp is provided for a stationary bolt 6 which may be rounded at the portionex-Y tactwith the springs 11. Y

insulating material I ture 10 therethrough is supported on the bolt 6 andabuts against the clamp 3.

Three springs 11 are secured to Athe/disc y by arivet or welding'v as indicated at-12l.y f A stationary insulatingdisc 13 abuts 'against the disc 9 and preferably has a'r'squared aperture14 to engage the squared yend 8 of the bolt 6 and has anelongated curvedslot ball `13is actuated by a spring 14"' in arecess 15 in the disc v13. A handle disc 16 is rotatably mounted on an insulated bushing 17, which latter is ixedly carried by the bolt 6 and has'three slight recesses 16 to engage the ball13. Rigidly attached'to one side of t-he disc is the handlek 18 whichpreferably hasa recess 19 whichv m'a'jbeloaded with `lead or Vother weight' tol ka just the counterbalaiicing of the semaphore armand the partsattac-hed thereto.VV Thesemaphore arm 2() is preferablywelded or otherwise secured to the disc 16 and vcarries at its outer enda lamp socket 21 with a lamp 22 securedy 15 in which are located the springs 11.v A

therein. lAn electric lead 23 connects-'from .the socket through abatte'ry 24illustra`ted diagrammatically in'Fig; 2,v and ya leadv 25 to a ground 26indicated as part of the windshield. YThe other terminal ofthe, lamp is preferably grounded tothe semaphore arm 20.Vr Thefsemaphore armcarriesat its outer end and vsurrounding thel l'amp'a frame 27 which is shown of triangular shape and having glass panels 28, preferably of red glass.

A plate 29 secured to thekbase 30 of the Aframe allows the replacement of electric bulbs. A stud 31 is welded or otherwise secured tothe discv 16 in order to rnakecon- A plain disc 32 of abuts against the face ofthe disc 16 and preferably has a squared yaperture toY engage the squared end 8 of the rbolt 6.

disc 33 preferablyformed of K An `outside metal has a squared aperture to engagel the squared end 8 of the bolt 6. Securedl to this plate are'springs 34-fastenedby rivets the face ofthe disc 33 and a lock nut 38.

VThe fixed disc 9Y is held by the clamp'3 and 35 or welded. These springs contact with vinnerv end of the bolt 6 is preferably screw .threaded at 36,.and has a lnut 37 engaging y J the outside disc isheld by 7the nuts v37 and 38, hence when the springs `234 bear against the insulating disc 32 the pressure is transmitted to the oscillating disc 16 which in turn transmits pressure to the insulating i `fof -tlie discs together .as above mentioned, the

springs 3.4 on Ythe Udisc v'33 .the insulating fdisc v32, ,the metal -disc 1.6, 5the insulating A'disc 13, and the metal `disc 9 are pressed itightly together. llVhen the Vdisc 16 is `.oscillated lby igrasping .the hand-lelS, zthge semaphore varm .20 yis swung to different-positions. As lthe ydisc '9 and the springs rsecured thereto .are

stationary, the stud 31"-may be ibrought into `'contact *with any 1one .of the ithree .springs lil moving inthe -elongatedfslot l5.. This ,action .makes .and breaks V:the .electric rcircuit from zthe battery 24v-.through .the .lead 23 toonerside lof the lamp.. From `the other .side .of the lamp the circuit is continued, grounded .to the .arm f20 through Vthe disc 16, .stud 3l, .spring 1.1, disc 9, .bolt 6, clamfp 3 to .the )ground at the Windshield, and .thence rtrom the yground termi-nal .26 through the .lead 25 to ,the fbattery 24. Thel spring pressed :ball 18' engaging iin :one :of .the .th-ree recesses 16 .in the Adisc 1.6 ,holds the .semaphore .arm Ain its adjusted ,position ln this manner the semaphore arm can be held .in x-a position pointing upward :at apiproxiimately 450 giving the usual righ-t .turn

vsignal, pointing Qdirectly rhorizontal ,giving fusual left -turn signal, .or pointing 'down- -wa-rdly 2at l,an `angle of 45? giving the Ausual .sto-p signal. .Ait each of .these signa-ling yposit-ions the lamp wrill ,become illuminated. vl-t is preferable `to have :all ltlie discs ,pressed lsutiicienti-y tight together .so k.that .the sema-v phore will remainfstationary .in any position independent fof the spring pressed ball 13'..

.lErom the rabove description, @together av'ith ftheidraavings, it '.Will .beseen that Ilhave 4de- '.veloped ia compact 'form Voisignal having a ,.-ixed disc zinsulated 'from .an osc'illata'ble disc, these two discs being .of .conducting material.

An outside disc V'has springsthereon which bear against insulatingV material, hence ras the xfixed :and .outside `,di-ses are maintained .at za constantfdistance apart, .the iixedan'd os-iL .lating A.discs .are l,pressed v.towards y.each other.

` These discs Ahave `electrical `contacts which in the proper position engage and make an While I have described the semaphore as being attached tothe"windshield of a ve- Y hicle, it may be secured to. any desired part of the vehicle, provided the disc V9 is grounded. y i

The springs ll may 'be constructed secured by the rivet rat lone end, bowed upwardly in .the centeiand with .the lfree end 'bentifinto contact with the disc 9 .to which the rivet '12 .isisecured,ssolthat .the stud 3l willf'readily ride `over .the said springs.` I ,A Various :changes may Vbe Iliade 4 without del.parting from the spirit of the invention as claimed. f

il claim.: l I l, l. Aaraiiic .signal comprising inl combination a lixed conducting disc, an oscillat- .conducting disc,means to 'secure the fixed disc to a vehicle and pivotallyfmount the .oscillating disoin relation v'to the 'lixed disc,

.a `stationary insulating disc between `theV ixed .and oscillating fdiscs .and having al slot therein, `a handle and semaphore connected to .the oscillating disc, a lamp to illuminate 4the semaphore, an-electrical circuit to 'and .fromithe lamp, electrical make .and .break contacts .on the :fixed Land-oscillating discfl0- cated in .the slot in the y'insulating discand actuated to make and break .tliefelectriccir- Y .cuit by movement of the handle.` l

,2. A tra-Hic signal comprising in combi-j .nation :a pivot Ipin, meansto s ecurevsam'e 'Ito .a vehicle, `a fixed conductingrdisc mounted thereon, a ,stationary insulating disc Yabutting againstthe iixed disc, an oscillating coniducting sd'isc having attached thereto a hair.. Y

die and a semaphore, .an outside stationary `disc .having` springs thereon, said springs ,pressing the iixed stationary .and oscillating discs together, and electric contacts kon the .ixedand oscillating discs. i

'3. A 'tra'flic signal asclaimed in claim 2 having a lamp to illuminate .the semaphore, ianfelectric .circ-uit to and `:trom .the lanrp, 'and the electrical make and Vbreak contacts 'on the .fixed .and oscillatingdiscs having relative movement in ,a slotfin the fixed insulating disc. i ft. A traiiic signal Vcomprising V:in "combination a pievot pin, means to secure saine to a vehicle, a 'lixed conducting disc connecltedl to the pin, a stationary insulating discrabut ting 'thefxed disc, an oscillatinigconducting v disc having a handle and semaphare, a

circuit make andfbrea'kv means 'between theV fixed and oscillatinglfd'ijscgan .insulated lbush-V ing on the lpin upon which; the Voscillating `disc operates, a `second insulating :dise :abutting the oscillating disc, .an .outside 'ldisc mounted Von Athe pin, and means .Ito ,press Athe "fixed disc, oscillating and'flooth Athe insulati ng Vdiscs together.v

5. A traliic signal'as claimed 'claim 4 having in addition an electric lamp to illuminate the semaphore, an electric circuit therefor, and the means to make and break the circuit comprising spring and stud contacts on the fixed and oscillating discs operating in a slot in the first mentionedinsulating disc.k l

6. A trailic signal Vcomprising in combi-y nation a pivot pin, means to secure same to a vehicle, a fixed' electrically conducting disc on the pin, having electric contact springs on an are thereon, a stationary insulating disc abutting the fixed disc and having an arcuate slot, an oscillating metallic disc havling a vhandle and a semaphore With a stud on the metallic disc to engage the said contact springs through the slot, an insulated bushing on the pin upon which the oscillating disc operates, a second insulating discV abuttingv the oscillating metallic disc, an

outside disc mounted on the pin, spring electric lamp mounted in the semaphore, a'

battery, a lead from thev battery tothe electric light, a second lead from the battery to a ground and thence to the pin and from the pin through thestationary conducting disc, the spring contacts and t-he stud to the oscillating disc and a ground from the lamp 'to the oscillating disc.

In testimony whereof I have ysigned my name to this specication.

CLAUDE B. FERRO. 

